Ryubo planning “Small World” theme park

Ryubo Industries Ltd., the operator of Ryubo department stores and supermarkets on Okinawa, is planning to open a theme park in the southern part of the island that features miniature displays of famous landmark cities and regions of the world. The company aims to open the park in 2022.

According to the plan, the theme park will feature renowned domestic and foreign sightseeing places and cities, including miniature buildings and landscapes complete with small cars, railways and airplanes.

The park will be the first of its kind in Okinawa, and the company is planning the project in collaboration with Small World, a company in Tokyo that plans leisure facilities and develops and manufactures miniatures.

Small World is currently planning to open a miniature theme park in Tokyo utilizing Internet technology that will be the first in Japan. Ryubo reportedly is investing ¥50 million in the project.

The theme park on Okinawa will be named “Small World Okinawa.” It will be located in a facility with a total floor space of 3,000 square meters including a store and restaurant. The location is currently under consideration with the decision to be made within this year. Ryubo Shoji will operate the facility.

The company reportedly has several plans to recreate miniature displays of Okinawa sightseeing places, Naha Airport and oceans surrounding Okinawa. Gadgets with famous animation characters will also be displayed.

Planners expect the facility to attract a million visitors per year. As the theme park would display miniature overseas townscapes depicting the lifestyles overseas, planners see students on school excursions as potential customers to instill them better international understanding.

During the time leading to the opening of the theme park, there will be miniature displays of foreign locations at the Naha Ryubo Department Store exhibition space, with the restaurant in the department store serving typical dishes of each country.